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Tuesday, July 24, 2018

This video above (which runs 29:34 and has some occasional language that some may consider NSFW), is from the “Foreign Correspondent” series of Australia’s ABC News. In it, Peter FitzSimons reports that, “Australia is detaining, cuffing and deporting more New Zealanders than any other group.” FitzSimons shows the unfairness and capriciousness of Australia’s policies.

I said last year that one of the main reasons we won’t treat Australians living here as badly as Australians treat Australians there is that “we’re better than that.” That sentiment was echoed in this video by New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters (who is presently Acting Prime Minister while Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is on maternity leave). What it boils down to is that two wrongs don’t make a right. So, New Zealand will continue to do what’s right, even as we wait patiently for Australia to come to its senses.

Relations between New Zealand and Australia are still strained, which is a problem when, as Winston Peters said, the two countries need each other to deal with the geopolitical realities we share in a dangerous world. Hopefully the Australians will realise that before a crisis happens.